Practice
Trusts
A revocable living trust holds your house and accounts while you live, and passes them to your family afterward without probate.
A trust earns its place when there is a house in Charleston and a child in Atlanta, when you own land in more than one state, when a beneficiary shouldn't receive everything at once, or when you'd simply rather your family avoid a public court file.
A trust only works if your property is actually in it. We prepare the new deed for your home and give you written instructions, account by account, for retitling the rest, and we check the list with you before we call the work done.
What a trust plan includes
A revocable living trust
A pour-over will
A new deed moving your home into the trust
Written instructions for retitling each account
A durable power of attorney and health care directive
Questions about trusts
Will a trust save on taxes?
A revocable trust on its own doesn't change your income or estate taxes. Its value is in avoiding probate, planning for incapacity and controlling how and when heirs receive what you leave.
Can I still sell or refinance my house?
Yes. You remain the trustee while you're able, so you can sell, refinance or move just as you do now.
What about a family member with special needs?
A supplemental needs trust can leave them money without costing them benefits. We'll ask about it at the first meeting.
Find out whether a trust is right for you
Sometimes a will is enough. We'll tell you plainly which one your family needs.